Ranger Down
by Gyotso
Summary: When (evil) Trent delivers a fatal blow to Connor, Kira and the other Power Rangers Dino Thunder must decide how many others should fall before they do what needs to be done with the White Ranger. The method of the dinosaur has not worked yet, perhaps brute strength is not enough... perhaps the swift, intelligent-cunning of the ninja is the only way to avenge the Ranger Down.


**A.N. In this storyline, Trent _never_ converted back to good. This starts off where we left off after Thunder Storm Part 2 (Ninja Storm/Dino Thunder crossover episode). Connor has battilizer and Shield of Triumph. This is only a storyline I came up with after reading a fanfiction where Kira faked her own death. This is Kironner, through and through.**

* * *

"It doesn't have to be this way, Trent!" Connor shouted, trying to get through to the evil White Ranger.

"Yeah, it does!" Trent snarled, speeding towards Connor and striking fast, skidding to a stop quite a healthy distance away while the marks exploded from sheer force.

"Woah!" Connor cried, falling to the ground and clutching his chest. "Uhhh..." he groaned, getting up and drawing his Thundermax Saber. "Don't make me fight you, Trent."

"You call this a fight?" Trent demanded, swinging his Feather-Sword around and firing a volley of energy arrows toward the Red Dino Ranger.

Connor crashed backward several feet and knew, in his gut, there was no reasoning with Trent. He was simply too far gone.

"I'm sorry, Trent. SUPER DINO MODE!" As Connor's powers enhanced themselves, Trent took an eerie step back, scanning his surroundings for a tool to fight the turbo-charged Dino Ranger.

The Red Ranger charged and met Trent's sword in a shower of sparks with his own. The two exchanged blow after blow, jab after jab, each unsuccessful in their attacks. Connor managed to turn Trent's blade in, after a long series of unsuccessful attempts to alter the game, and jab down hard with his hand, sending the Drago Sword clattering to the ground.

Connor kicked him in the back of the knee and struck across Trent's plated chest with his sword, earning a scream of pain from the White Ranger.

Connor jumped to the side with a flip and converted his weapon to blaster mode, firing on Trent before he could recover from the last attack. Then he bent down and picked up the Feather Sword, slicing it clean in half with his own blade and staring down the White Ranger with contempt.

"Surrender." Connor told him.

The White Ranger found a hostage and used his super speed to grab the little girl.

"Leave her alone!" Connor commanded, training his blaster on Trent's helmet.

"If you miss; she's toast."

'He's right.' Connor realized, trying not to show waiver in his resolve in case Trent was bluffing. He wouldn't really hurt a little girl... would he?

"Stop what you're doing, or I swear I will hunt you to the ends of Heaven and Earth to bring you to justice." Connor exclaimed, knowing that it sounded cheesy but wanting to get the message through to the real Trent Mercer buried deep inside the White Dino Ranger.

"Oh, Red Ranger... surely you know by now, that your friend is gone. I'm all that's left... and I'm going to destroy the world."

Connor could see in the distance his fellow rangers, coming to assist him at last.

"Let _her_ go." Connor demanded through gritted teeth.

"Drop the weapon... NOW!"

Connor did as he was told, begrudgingly.

"Good..."

Trent moved so fast it shouldn't have been possible. But Connor saw it... Ethan and Tommy saw it... so did Kira.

The girl's body fell before Connor could react, but it fell in slow motion.

Connor sprinted forward, knowing that Trent's next move would be to obtain the weapon Connor dropped.

Connor ignored the blaster and tackled Trent with full force, pressing him to the ground and beating him with his hands, enhanced by Super Dino Mode. He pounded until the face plate broke. Connor ripped off the damaged visor and stared coldly down into the soul of Trent Mercer.

"You're a fool." Trent muttered, lunging for Connor's chest.

Alas... the Red Ranger was too slow.

The blade drawn appeared out of nowhere, sleight of hand being the murderer's greatest ally at the moment.

Connor's ranger form dissolved immediately, unable to repair the damage to the Ranger inside it.

"... Kira..." was all Connor could make out, as she was the last thing he saw when his eyes rolled into the back of his head and he collapsed onto his back.

"CONNOR!" Kira screamed, startling Tommy and Ethan (both of whom had been inspecting the fallen girl and had not yet noticed that their comrade, their leader, was gone.

Kira scrambled towards Trent and drew her blaster, aiming for the helmet-less head of the White Ranger that belonged to a guy she used to like so much. But her heart had been ripped apart by him again. And this time, she was out for blood.

The lasers connected with Trent's back and sent him tumbling away, leaving the bloody stuck standing in a crack it landed in after falling from Trent's hand.

Kira charged him with her sword, but Trent just as soon disappeared.

She skidded to a stop and ripped her helmet off her head, as she propped Connor's head onto her knee.

"Maybe I can..." But there was nothing she could do, _he_ was already gone. "No... no, Connor." The tears started forming in her eyes, but she demanded that they remain. Her brain simply refused to believe that Connor McKnight was dead.

"Connor!" Ethan exclaimed, falling to his knees, de-morphed and without any strength in his body. His whole torso went slack as his eyes filled with wells of tears, each pouring down faster than gravity could call them.

"Connor..." Tommy's voice was as heart-broken as Ethan's, if not more. He'd been the one who selected the new Rangers, who allowed them to become Dino Rangers. And it got Connor McKnight, a seventeen year old high school student, killed.

"No..." Kira's voice broke before she could say anything else, she pressed his forehead to hers and let the tears fall without further protest.

...

That day, everyone dressed like a Black Ranger would.

That is to say, everyone wore black.

To school... to work... to the wake and funeral after.

They all wore black.

"Today..." the preacher announced, beginning the service, "we acknowledge a terrible loss. Connor McKnight was no exceptional student. In fact, it's my understanding that he struggled in all classes. His grades may have been poor, but his heart was bigger than any subject, any grade one could give him."The preacher happened to look at the Dino Rangers, both of whom were keeping it together for Kira's sake. "That is why, you all deserve to know why he died."

This made Kira nearly jump. The cover story that Ethan told the police should have been enough to keep the whole Red Ranger thing under wraps so no one would find them. But he never told her exactly what he told them.

"Connor McKnight was _murdered_ by the evil White Ranger. And there a lot of people who don't think I should tell you that, but not to do so is an abomination. Because God... God sent us a boy who was willing to do what is right, to protect those without strength...without power. God called him into action to save a little girl from a terrible fate. And in that struggle for good, before the Power Rangers could show up, Connor McKnight was called to Heaven above to become on of God's angels." The preacher explained.

Kira let out a sigh of relief, she hadn't been expecting such a dramatic eulogy.

"Now... the pain and loss we feel... it's more than what we see now. It reminds us that people from anywhere, who can do anything, they can be heroes. An average kid, with a knack for soccer can save the world if he wants too. Remember that... because Connor McKnight has blessed us _all_ with a gift so precious, that he touched our lives just by being a part of them. Connor was an extraordinary person with gifts that he chose to share with the world to make his own little corner of it a bit brighter... and that my friends, is a boy worth looking up too. He died before he came into manhood... but in our eyes, he was a man the second he chose to stand up to the Devil, and to show evil what it meant to be a hero."

Kira, Tommy, Ethan, and several of Connor's close relatives were chosen to carry the casket to the hearse.

Kira thanked the Ninja rangers for coming, Tori was especially considerate. But the boys were just too nonplussed by what had happened to the friend they had just met.

"We'll see you at the cemetery." Tori promised, loading into her van with the other members of Ninja Storm.

Kira felt a light grip on her shoulder and grabbed the hand aggressively at first, then slackening immediately when she saw who it was. "I'm so sorry, Mrs. McKnight, you startled me."

Mrs. McKnight tried for a smile but did not succeed, to which Kira wrapped her in a hug.

"I know... I miss him too."

The two ladies pulled apart and the elder one sighed, "I just keep thinking, he did what he had to do. But I just wonder... how we're supposed to go on without him."

"You don't." Tommy said, gently placing his hand on Mrs. McKnight's shoulder. "You take him with you, everywhere you go. In here..." Tommy explained, pressing his hand to his heart.

Mrs. McKnight nodded, "I just came over to tell you that..." She was trying to get the words out, "You meant a lot to him... not just as a friend, but... he really liked you, Kira."

Kira was shocked to say the least, but thanked her for her kind words and tried to keep it calm.

Kira noticed a shimmer of light around the corner of the church and she had a gut-feeling that she knew who it was.

She marched around the corner and wasn't surprised in the least to see Trent Mercer leaning on the wall.

"You know Kira, black's not really your color."

"Let's see how you look in red." Kira said through gritted teeth, raising her Din Morpher.

"Feisty... but shouldn't you call your little friends? The last time one of you went against me one-on-one... it just didn't end very well."

Kira screamed with her Ptera powers and morphed while front flipping.

She landed feet from Trent, who'd been sent back several yard.

She drew her Ptera grips and struck thrice in rapid succession, not caring that Trent was un-morphed and unable to defend himself. She kicked him to finish the combo and drew her blaster, pulling the trigger with the beam on full power.

Trent was blasted backward, tumbling to the ground. He rolled and groaned at the same time.

"Like I said... feisty." Trent growled, morphing wordlessly. "Are you telling me that you don't love me anymore?"

"I never loved you." Kira told him, not completely lying.

 _-Flashback-_

 _"Thought you might be here." Trent said, walking up behind Kira as she looked at his drawing of the White Ranger, waiting for him and the answers he may or may not give her._

 _"Why didn't you wait for me?" Kira asked, already on edge because she knew Trent's secret._

 _"I did... it's a long story." Trent told her, looking away. "You know it's funny, I always thought it would be cool to be a superhero. This isn't how I would draw myself." Trent admitted, tapping the paper in her hands._

 _"Look, let us help you." Kira offered._

 _"No... it's too late." Trent said, rubbing his eyes. "The gem's already taken over... just like he said."_

 _"Who?"_

 _Then Trent shoved her into the pond and cackled maniacally, morphing without a second thought._

 _"From now on, there's only one color that matters around here!" Trent shouted, firing a volley of arrows toward Kira in the small oasis._

 _Kira ducked underwater and avoided the strike, popping up for air and morphing, flying out of there with her Super Dino Mode._

 _She drew her blaster and fired at the White Ranger, but he'd already disappeared by the time the lasers got to him._

 _"I can't believe I liked that creep." Kira exclaimed later, to Connor who was the last person she should be complaining about Trent too._

 _"I thought it was the gem messing with his head?" Connor asked, suprisingly wanting to believe the best in Trent despite what they'd gone through in recent weeks._

 _"I thought you hated Trent." Kira shot towards him._

 _"I only have a problem with him when he's outside kicking our butts. I just never thought he'd treat you that way... using your feelings for him against you like that. That's low, even for a possessed Ranger."_

 _"I just don't think he's possessed anymore... I was so sure he could beat it, Connor. But I looked into his eyes and i just felt like there was no Trent left."_

 _Connor rested his hand on Kira's shoulder, "Hey, it's okay. Trent is still in there, even if he ticks me off. We just have to stay focused on protecting the innocent people he hurts."_

 _Kira nodded, "I agree. And Connor... thanks."_

 _Kira hugged him and felt a weird spark between them._

 _Connor felt it too, but it was less noticeable._

 _"Um..." Kira muttered, trying to regain her train of thought. She'd been confused about liking Trent_ and _Connor since just about the beginning of the school year. She resolved that Connor was a crush... kind of. More like that's what she told herself. But now she was beginning to realize that the two had real chemistry. And especially with Trent trying to kill her, it kind of made it hard for her to like him._

 _-End Flashback-_

"I never loved you."

"I'm hurt." Trent replied sarcastically, sprinting towards her at super speed and striking her with his new Drago Feather weapon.

Kira crumpled to the ground and shot back up, firing, without hesitation, her blaster.

Several shots connected, sending the White Ranger tumbling backward on the hard concrete.

"Super Dino Mode!" Kira screamed, sprinting towards Trent and taking off into the air for added speed.

Trent scrambled to get up and took a swing, missing, but getting caught by Kira's Thundermax Saber as she looped around.

"AGH!" Trent moaned, falling to the ground as a crowd began to form to watch the battle between Rangers.

Kira spun around, converted her weapon to blaster mode, and squeezed the trigger on repeat.

The White Ranger was covered in mini-explosions while the crowd cheered for the Yellow Ranger.

"Another day!" Trent shouted, sprinting off into the woods behind the church.

"Coward." Kira muttered, flying off into the air and away from the woods so she could de-morph back into her civilian form and rejoin the funeral party.

Tommy drove the other two rangers, and Haley, in his jeep behind the party to the cemetery where the Red Ranger would be buried.

"If Trent keeps attacking us alone, he might get lucky again." Ethan pointed out, trying to get Kira to stop playing tough girl and look at the big picture.

"I want him to pay for what he did to Connor, don't you?"

"Of course, Kira." Ethan insisted, "But Connor wouldn't want you to get yourself killed just to fight Trent one-on-one. Even Connor called for back-up when he was up against him."

"Only because he wanted me to talk to him." Kira replied, poking a hole in Ethan's logic. "He told me just a couple days before that he thought I might have a chance to reason with him."

Tommy was being understandably quiet, torn between the desire to believe the best in Trent and the thirst for revenge.

They reached the cemetery without another White Ranger incident, or Mesogog for that matter.

As they lowered the casket into the ground, Kira could hear the winds whispering in the ears. They were singing a song for the Ranger who gave it all for the good of the mission.

Trent watched them from afar, fully corrupted by the White Dino Power at the molecular level.

He smirked, knowing that without the Red Ranger the other Rangers would surely lose the rest of the war.

But in the distance, far beyond what anyone could see... there was a young man standing, watching the proceedings with binoculars through disbelieving eyes.

"Do they really think I'm dead?" He asked.

"They do." A second mysterious figure confirmed, "But that is your greatest weapon, Connor."

"I want to tell the other Rangers..."

"No." The figure replied firmly, "If we are to stop the White Ranger, you must do so from the shadows. As long as they believe you are buried beneath that earth... there will be no distraction from your training."

Connor nodded grimly, "I'm sorry Kira." But he knew she could not hear it.

"Remember, my young pupil, that ninja is the arts of patience, agility, and deception working together harmoniously. If they are to be your new weapons, you must accept them in all their forms."

"Yes Ninjor, I accept them and whatever it takes to bring down the White Ranger."

"Then let us go and continue our work." Ninjor stated, placing his hand on Connor's back and directing him away.

* * *

 **He's alive...? Yep.**

 **I considered leaving this out until next chapter, or at least leaving it vague, but I decided to keep it this way. I'm hoping for a tri-shot, maybe more.**

 **I love Kironner because he's a bit of an airhead, a total jock, with a good heart. Kira is goth-type (though she grows out of it gradually throughout the series, I think), tomboy-ish, and kind of brings him down to Earth. I'm not a big non-canon shipper, but I agree with several for reasons like this. Observing them(even in the show) is always interesting because of their personalities. But you can clearly see that they are good friends, even though at the beginning of the series she didn't like him too much.**

 **How Connor lived will be revealed next chapter... probably. Not to worry, I pledge to uphold the ideas of Kira being a total bad ass (because she is) and won't just turn her into a girl-in-love who becomes useless when she loses her boyfriend (cough cough Twilight cough cough). I would like to admit that I intend for her to take on the role of leader in Connor's absence while he trains with Ninjor so that he will be ready to take on Trent in a finale.**

 _ **Until then, I bid thee adieu!**_


End file.
